Chapter 4: TPTWM

Wow. Just look at that procession.

If I stole just the carriage and horses that Grand Duke Asis Frasier was arriving in and sold them, I’d probably be able to clear all my debts.

Of course, since every piece of Tullia’s land had already been pawned off to Viscount Lillius, even if I did pay off the debts, I’d still have to worry about how to survive afterward.

That was how overwhelming Asis Frasier was.

He hadn’t appeared draped in gold and silk for show, but everything he wore was unmistakably top-tier luxury.

The clothes Grand Duke Asis Frasier was wearing must have cost over 100 million gold per set.

‘If 100 million gold is roughly 100 million won in real money…’

Of course, since it’s a game, the actual value of currency differs from reality, but whenever I played <Grim Bread>, I had developed the habit of roughly calculating it like that.

A single outfit costing 100 million won…

He probably owned hundreds, thousands of outfits like that…

‘Yeah, it’s absurd that Tullia is starving like this.’

She’s technically the granddaughter of someone that wealthy!

“Everyone, sit.”

A low, oppressive voice echoed through the hall. I quietly took my seat.

Thanks to being a marquis’s daughter, my seat wasn’t at the very end.

In fact, it was quite close to Grand Duke Asis Frasier. Even closer than Tedric.

‘He can’t openly ignore me in front of the Grand Duke.’

Since the banquet had been arranged suddenly, only Tedric, Lillius, and I—direct family members—were present.

I glanced at Tedric. His hands were visibly trembling. He kept sneaking looks at me too, clearly anxious.

‘So he’s worried after all.’

He was probably afraid I might tell Grand Duke Asis Frasier what he had done, and that things would spiral out of control.

‘But even if he tries to tattle, it won’t benefit him much.’

In fact, it would be a loss in the long run.

Grand Duke Asis Frasier disliked family members snitching on each other. He saw it as unbecoming of a house like Frasier.

To achieve a good ending in <Grim Bread>, winning Asis Frasier’s favor was essential, so I knew very well what he disliked.

It struck me again how unfortunate it was.

If I had possessed Corico—the protagonist—instead of Tullia, I was confident I could have turned the Grand Duke into a “mother-in-law simp” within a week.

Soon, servants placed plates in front of me, and I briefly lost my breath.

‘Oh my God!’

Fresh vegetables in a salad. Actual fresh lemons. Even honey and cheese.

If other nobles knew what I was thinking, they would probably laugh at me.

But just today, all I had eaten was a single slice of bread with a thin piece of cucumber—like rice paper.

I had been so stunned that I couldn’t even feel hunger properly.

The servants brought in dishes with polite but indifferent motions. To them, this luxurious meal that made my eyes spin was just everyday life.

I placed a slice of fragrant matsutake mushroom in my mouth. Its rich, refined flavor spread through my tongue. This single meal probably cost at least half a commoner’s yearly salary.

When a steaming steak was served, I felt like I might cry. How long had it been since I had protein?

Despite my urge to devour everything greedily, I maintained the refined etiquette of high society.

Fortunately, Tullia was a noble lady of a prestigious house, so her dining etiquette was flawless. I could continue eating gracefully without much effort.

‘It’s too delicious…’

High-quality pepper, butter, and beef melted together in my mouth.

Yes. This was the food of nobility.

This was the meal of the Frasier ducal house!

As I popped a rare melon into my mouth afterward, I made up my mind again.

A-rank.

I must reach A-rank. No matter what.

Even in <Grim Bread>, achieving A-rank unlocked one of the best possible endings.

I would live richly. Hire chefs. Every morning I’d slice a large croissant in half and recklessly spread ham, cheese, figs, and honey over it.

In any case, the Frasier ducal house was Corico’s stage. No—this entire empire was Corico’s world.

Even the people of the marquis family, who were supposed to love Tullia, would end up becoming Corico’s support instead.

Fine. Let them all be happy with Corico. It had nothing to do with me.

‘I’ll just enjoy my wealthy retirement.’

I didn’t even expect I could return to Han Ina’s world anymore.

My family was a mess, and I had lost contact with friends while juggling part-time jobs and scholarships. There was nothing I missed. Fortunately.

In this world, even ice and sugar were luxuries. So I would buy an ice storage facility outright. And live a life of abundance—eating ice cream every day while reading books.

‘For that to happen, please let everything I’m about to say not sound insane.’

Grand Duke Asis Frasier was a figure whose authority rivaled even the Emperor in this vast empire.

And he was also the key person I needed to survive this insane quest.

Pretending to sip champagne after the meal, I subtly shifted my gaze—and froze.

Gasp.

Grand Duke Asis Frasier was looking at me.

I immediately lowered my eyes. My heart pounded violently.

At the same time, reality hit me hard. I had half thought of this world as just a “game character setting.”

But meeting his gaze in person made me understand perfectly why so many people in <Grim Bread> trembled before him.

‘Did I eat too… ungracefully?’

I thought I had followed etiquette properly.

I glanced at Tedric’s plate. He had barely touched his food.

Well, in earlier generations, it was even considered uncouth for nobles to finish everything on their plate.

Half-eating and leaving the rest precisely measured was once seen as refined etiquette.

Of course, Tedric wasn’t avoiding food because of outdated manners, but because the Grand Duke’s presence was so overwhelming he couldn’t even chew.

Besides, for someone like him, this kind of food was probably nothing special anyway.

A new dessert was served, but I couldn’t even reach for it because of the Grand Duke’s gaze.

‘I can’t afford to be disliked by him.’

Of course, Tullia Frasier was already ostracized by her family, and her father—the Marquis Frasier—was famously at odds with the Grand Duke.

Still, Asis Frasier was absolutely necessary for my “wealth stat-building” plan starting now.

Before long, the silent meal—so quiet it felt like you could hear a needle drop—came to an end, and we moved rooms.

It was the adjoining parlor to the dining room.

‘This is easily on par with a noble estate in the capital.’

Ironically, the second floor with Tullia’s bedroom and bathroom was falling apart, while only the first floor—with the dining room and parlor—looked like a wealthy noble’s castle.

Preparing a noble banquet alone usually took half a day.

In that time, Viscount Lillius’s servants had completely transformed the first floor.

Expensive ebony furniture, violet velvet chairs, wool-patterned carpets, a massive gem-studded tapestry, silver-plated lamps, and more.

‘Maybe I should take a few of these later.’

I mean, I’m technically the owner here… so it feels a bit unfair.

But even this overly luxurious parlor couldn’t compare to the presence of Grand Duke Asis Frasier.

‘He looks like a demon general.’

A presence so overwhelming it made me want to bow without even knowing why I had done anything wrong.

His silver-white hair was like ice, and his deep green eyes were as lethal as poison.

They suited his ruthless, merciless personality perfectly—like a tiger’s gaze.

It was an open secret that before Tullia was even born, Asis Frasier had personally tortured and executed spies planted in the ducal household at the temple.

Because of that, most nobles—even royalty—could not meet his eyes. Blood relation didn’t matter.

Thinking about that, Tullia’s father really was something.

How could he constantly oppose someone like that Grand Duke?

Other sons tried to flatter him even while fearing him, but Tullia’s father didn’t even bother sending birthday gifts.

‘No child support for his daughter, not even birthday gifts for his father.’

And I was supposed to achieve an A-rank ending as the daughter of such a trash-tier man (and the game’s ultimate villainess, no less).

Sigh.

‘Isn’t it a bit unfair that only Tullia is treated like garbage?’